© Alexis Courcoux
Fuente info TJV
PRESS RELEASE
D +4
Monday, november 7th, 2011
A hard night through the front, damage to PRB and Cheminées Poujoulat
It has been hard night for the IMOCA Open 60 fleet in the Transat Jacques Vabre fleet racing north of the Azores from Le Havre to Puerto Limon, Costa Rica with the passage of a violent front with damage reported this morning to Cheminées Poujoulat which was lying third and to PRB which is heading for the Azores. To the east Class 40 have still to encounter it. In the Multi 50 fleet leader Actual, south of the Azores, were south of the front and still had the toughest period to go.
IMOCA Open 60: damage to PRB and Cheminées Poujoulat
PRB on Vendée Globe winner Vincent Riou is heading to the Azores for a pit-stop to see what they can do about a fracture in a forward bulkhead. After the passage of the front last night with winds of 35-40kts it is reported that Vincent Riou and Hugues Destremau made a check to ensure the boat was not damaged.
At 0430hrs CET they reported that the bulkhead of the forward sail locker is cracked According to the duo there is no water ingress but they plan to head to the Azores to assess.
“I think it is better to go there and see what we can do, given the future wind and sea states, rather than risk anything.” They have said they will head for the island of Terceira where they plan to dock at Praia de Vitoria. The duo were making 8-9kts towards the haven and were around 100 miles away.
“I think we will need at least three days to complete the necessary repairs.” Riou reported to his team this morning.
Cheminées Poujoulat reported to race direction last night that they had a leak with water coming in from the starboard bow. They are around 140 miles north of the Azores and had slowed the boat, heading in an easterly direction early this morning while they decide what they can do.
In staying with the northern route the Hugo Boss duo Alex Thomson and Guillermo Altadil expected it to be bad last night, but the passage of the front was as it was expected and this morning the leaders were in good shape, sailing in 34-45kts of wind, and they are leading the pack on the chase to the SW now after tacking. They are in the north, Banque Populaire are on the middle course are in third and Macif were just 40 miles N of Faial in the Azores this morning.
On the 0800hrs ranking Hugo Boss lead Jean-Pierre Dick and Jérémie Beyou by 5.5 miles with Banque Populaire in third at 30 miles behind. They were expecting about another 24 hours of stormy weather.
Guillermo Altadil (ESP), co-skipper Hugo Boss said this morning: “The night was OK, we were sailing with winds of 35 kts with gusts to 45 kts. Now at the moment the sea state is OK, it is sailable and we are trying to keep the boat together and not break too many things. It is going to be like this for another 24 hours, maybe calmer through today to 35kts, probably tonight more – up to 50kts, so I think it will be 24 hours, We are doing our normal watch system but have been just discussing the long term strategy after this low pressure, how we negotiate the high pressure in front with no wind, but first of all we have to come from this storm with the boat in one piece.”
The official retirement of DCNS 1000 of Marc Thiercelin who was racing with former world cup downhill ski racer Luc Alphand, was confirmed last night. They have suffered serious power charging problems which they have been unable to solve.
Class 40
As the leaders prepared for the front which there was little change at the top of the fleet with Aquarelle still leads their British rivals on Concise 2 by 9.1 miles. They have yet to encounter the nasty frontal system. Third placed ERDF Les Pieds et Les Mains are 90 miles behind the leader now.
Quotes:
Guillermo Altadil (ESP), co-skipper Hugo Boss: “The night was OK, we were sailing with winds of 35 kts with gusts to 45 kts. Now at the moment the sea state is OK, it is sailable and we are trying to keep the boat together and not break too many things. It is going to be like this for another 24 hours, maybe calmer through today to 35kts, probably tonight more – up to 50kts, so I think it will be 24 hours, We are doing our normal watch system but have been just discussing the long term strategy after this low pressure, how we negotiate the high pressure in front with no wind, but first of all we have to come from this storm with the boat in one piece.”
Yannick Bestaven on Aquarelle.com, leader of the fleet of Class 40 at the start of the front.
"It is just starting, with 30kts from the south and we are in the beginning of the front which will last about six hours. We are making 11kts, it is slamming but you get used to it. We are under staysail and two reefs at the moment with the third ready to go because we expect 40kts.”
Jean-Pierre Dick on Virbac-Paprec 3, the IMOCA Open 60 in second place.
“We have been through the worst of the front with a wind shift four hours ago, with gusts to 40-42kts. It was hard, powerful stuff. It was almost a winter low, with a lot of wind and rain. The boat, Virbac-Paprec 3 seems tough. We took the northern option rather more difficult so I hope it pays. We take the worst of the depression and so we try to maximise the gains from it.”
Standings at 1700hrs CET on Friday, november 6th, 2011
IMOCA
1 - Hugo Boss (Alex Thomson - Guillermo Altadill) : 3318,6 milles to finish
2 - Virbac Paprec 3 (Jean-Pierre Dick - Jérémie Beyou) : 5,5 milles to leader
3 - Banque Populaire (Armel Le CLéac'h - Christopher Pratt) : 30,1 milles to leader
Multi50
1 - Actual ( Yves Le Blevec - Samuel Manuard) : 3962,0 milles to finish
2 - Maitre Jacques (Loïc Fequet - Loïc Escoffier) : 18,3 milles to leader
Class40
1 - Aquarelle.com (Yannick Bestaven - Eric Drouglazet) : 3668,8 milles to finish
2 - Concise 2 (Ned Collier - Sam Goodchild) : 9,1 milles to leader
3 - ERDF Des Pieds et des Mains (Damien Seguin - Yoann Richomme) : 92,6 milles to leader
